A Magnetic Personality

When my first child was born, I began to have to interact with strangers a lot. It seemed everyone wanted to compliment her, talk to her, and even touch her. I thought it was just because she was a cute baby.

Then I had my second child, seventeen months later. I remember one of the first times I went out when he was a baby. I was at Wal-Mart and a lady walked over. I was sure it was to exclaim over how cute my newborn was. But no - she was there to interact with my daughter. This continued to happen as my second baby got older.  Rarely would people talk to my baby or compliment me on him. All of the attention was focused on my daughter. Not that my second baby wasn't cute - he was, see?

Photo credit: Ariel Nolan

For the record, he was a total mommy's boy who didn't like crowds or people in general. He was perfectly content to let his sister have all the attention. But it was puzzling to me. And that's when I realized that while he was every bit as adorable as his sister, he did not have the same magnetic personality that she did. She almost demanded attention (that part of her has not changed, lol). Even though she rarely smiled at people and was a late talker, they always wanted to interact with her. 

Fast forward to today. Jaxon also watches people, except that when people talk to him, he actually smiles. Or laughs. Or does something else that is cute and draws them in. And he flirts. Boy, does he flirt. His smile, blue eyes, and flirty nature make people want to interact with him. It's causing me to have conversations with strangers in restaurants, stores, and even bathrooms when I'm changing his diaper. People just can't help but talk to him. I don't blame them - he's completely adorable! 

What's especially funny to me is when people who have babies themselves want to talk to him or about him. I guess I always just assumed that the people who commented on babies were the people who didn't have a baby of their own to admire. Like the lady at lunch today who came over to hold Jaxon's hands and pat his head while he's sitting in a high chair at a restaurant. She barely looked at me -it was like she was captivated by his eyes. Or like the lady at Wal-Mart today who rubbed his head (twice, but who's counting?) and patted his arm, all the while talking to him. I don't even think she spoke to me or acknowledge me at all. All her comments of "You're so cute" were directed straight at Jaxon -she never even spoke to me! But so many people who have babies with them still want to talk to me about Jaxon. Like today. I'm in the baby department at Wal-Mart, checking out the clearance section to see what's been marked down. I normally wear Jaxon when I shop but I didn't need much today so I let him ride in the cart (for the first time). A woman walks up near me and I hear her say "Oh, how adorable!" And then I realize she's talking to me because she says "How old is he?" I tell her and she says "He's so cute!" So that turns into a whole conversation, and it turns out, she has a 3 year old and a 4 1/2 week old of her own. They were with her mother in another part of the store. And yet here she is, exclaiming about how cute my baby is! It is so funny to me!


But look at him - you would have to smile back at him, wouldn't you? He's just too adorable!

With his Daddy, the source of his magnetic personality.
Together, they are completely irresistable!